


Happy Anniversary

by Cyane (orphan_account)



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avenger Loki, Child Neglect, Domestic Avengers, Drunken Confessions, Fluff, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Past Child Abuse, Prompt Fill, Short & Sweet, Tont Stark Has Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-01-04
Packaged: 2018-09-13 03:42:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9105100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Cyane
Summary: On the anniversary of the death of his parents, Tony takes up drinking.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Jon Bellion's All Time Low is my life I swear to god

Tony never knew how to feel on the anniversary of Howard and Maria's death.

He supposed that he should feel sad. Some sort of guilt, some sort of deep ache, or maybe he was just supposed to cry. Maybe he should be smiling sorrowfully and remembering the good memories he had with them.

(There weren't any.)

Instead, Tony felt tired. And drunk. Very, very drunk. 

He knew that the team wouldn't understand. On the anniversary of Peggy's death- good, sweet, beautiful aunt Peggy- Steve (and secretly Tony) had cried like a normal person would when faced with greif. 

When Bruce found out Betty had died, he felt the deep ache and his away from the world for a long time. He turned into the hulk many times in anger.

Natasha and Clint usually grieved silently together, stoic but miserable, aching, hurting.

But Tony just curled into himself and drank, because he wasn't really sad. Not really. He hadn't known them that well, and what he had known wasn't exactly good. 

Howard had been an alcoholic bastard who started Tony on intoxicants by the time he was six. He was either ignoring Tony completely, screaming about how he had never wanted a son, or actually physically hitting Tony- a punch to the nose, a hand wrapped around the small boy's neck...

Because Howard just HAD to scar his son physically, mentally, and emotionally. And get him started as an alcoholic.

Tony hated Howard. That was a fact. He would probably be celebrating the anniversary if Maria hadn't died as well. Maria was a completely different story.

Sort of.

Maria Stark wasn't abusive. She might've neglected Tony, a little, but nowhere near Howard's own mistreatment. She cared for him, told Tony she loved him, held him tightly when he was younger. After he was a few years old, she got busy with work.

She never wanted a son, to say. Tony was an accident. A mistake, really; a mistake turned into a business opportunity for the Company to be handed over to. Maria loved him, sure, but she didn't want a son. 

Tony felt more like he was a little toy, a little amusing pet that she had to take care of. She loved him, but... not like a son.

He missed her. Even if it was only because he felt like he was supposed to miss her. Even if he hardly knew her, even if he knew almost nothing about her that he hadn't learned off of the news.

How was he supposed to feel?

Drunk.

It might've been hours before the door slid open and Steve came walking in, casually dressed. He poured himself a drink without saying a word and sat down.

"I'm sorry," Strve said, although he looked like he knew it was the wrong thing to say.

"Don't be," Tony replied. He wasn't even half drunk yet. Just a little tipsy.

Steve nodded. "When I knew Howard, he was a... An eccentric man."

Tony was forever grateful that Steve hadn't lied and said 'good' or 'great'.

"Did you like him?"

Steve laughed slightly. "...I can't say that. We were friends, I suppose. I was more of his experiment than anything, and then I was jealous when I thought he and Peggy were courting."

Snickering, Tony clinked his glass of scotch against Steve's.

"Thanks for the honesty, cap."

Slowly Steve's smile fell. "What was he like when you knew him? I don't mean for this to come off wrong; but I never thought Howard would be a father."

This was not a good situation for Tomy to be in seeing as he was drunk and very much about to spill all his secrets to Captain fucking America about his daddy issues. But he was drunk and he would only regret it later, so Tony spilled.

"I hate him." Tony said simply. 

Steve blinked. "Oh."

"-and he hated me. That was just the way things were. He didn't want me, ha- he wanted _you_. If he saw the way I run- sorry, _ran_ \- his company... He'd be kicking and crying and rolling over in his grave."

"Tony, I-"

"No!" Tony cut him off quickly. "Don't say anything, Rogers. I'm really fucking drunk and if I'm a lucky man, I'll wake up tomorrow with no recollection of ever having this conversation. No offense. Nothing personal. I jus' tend to try and f'rget today."

Steve looked incredibly sad. "So every year... you what? Come down here by yourself to get drunk and grieve without telling anyone? We're a team, Tony, we can, you know... talk."

Tony choked on sardonic laughter. "Cap, I doubt any f'them want to talk to me, much less 'bout my problems with my dad."

Steve downed another glass. "I don't think you give them enough credit, Tony. I don't think you give yourself enough credit. We are a team. That's what we do- we help each other."

"I barely know 'em."

"So get to know them." Rogers shot back. "You know, theyre upstairs waiting for you. Everyone is worried. Whattdaya say?"

Sure as fuck sounded better than drinking himself to death. More or less. Tony shrugged after a minute. "I'm piss ass drunk 'n I'm probably gonna be vomiting for the rest of the evening."

Steve looked vaguely fond as he helped Tony to his feet and got him to the door. "It's okay to drink, Tony. Just don't go overboard, and tell us when you're drinking because you're hurting. I don't want a teammate to die of alcohol poisoning."

Tony's eyes narrowed. "I promise I'll be fully functioning for the next mission, _Rogers_ ," He gritted out. "No need to worry." 

Steve scowled at himself. "I'm not tryin'ta save Iron Man, right now. I'm trying to help you. Tony Stark. Because I care about you, not for a mission."

Tony didn't know how to respond, so they just walked upstairs.

Immediately after entering the communal kitchen, he was met by all the Avengers.

Bruce, scurrying around, making what smelled like Tony's favorite coffee and meal that was usually only for birthdays. 

Natasha and Clint, arguing about two different movies, both ones that Tony had specifically requested for the next movie night.

Thor and Loki talking in hushed voices. That was sure unusual. 

"Hi, Tony," Bruce said. "I'm making dinner. If you want, you can go sit down and get Natasha to make up her mind about the movie."

Tony picked Star Wars, because Steve really needed to watch it before more reboots came out. Steve would not be unprepared.

It was comforting, that things were normal again.

After dinner, Clint and Nat curled up on the chair, while Bruce and Steve went to the left of Tony. Loki sat on his right, and Thor was on the floor in front of his brother, while his brother carefully did his hair. 

The movie was at the title screen when Loki said conversationally, "Fathers are overrated."

"Indeed," Thor said.

"Yep," Clint muttered.

"Who needs 'em?" Bruce asked.

Tony felt his heart warm. Who needed to talk about anything? And sure, he was really drunk, but falling asleep, half onto Loki, half onto Steve, in the comfort of his REAL family?

There was nothing better.

And Tony finally knew how to feel on the anniversary of his parent's deaths.

He felt perfectly fine.

**Author's Note:**

> Edit: Thanks nobody for telling me I spelled "was just" "wash yay" apologies to everyone this is what happens when you write stories on your phone at 2:00am kids


End file.
